Reference · EDD occupational projections · read 5 September 2026
How many therapist jobs California expects to add, and where, from the state’s own projections.
The Employment Development Department projects 49,000 marriage and family therapist jobs in California in 2034, up from 37,500 in 2024: 11,500 more, or 30.7% against 8.0% for all occupations. Add the people who will leave the field or move to another one, and the state expects 46,570 MFT openings over the ten years. Los Angeles County alone accounts for 10,780 of the area-level openings. Five occupations, the state and 31 areas, with EDD’s own definitions beside every column.
The state →The state
Five occupations against all of California’s, 2024 to 2034.
EDD’s statewide series, published in July 2026. “Openings” is not hiring demand in a given year; it is the ten-year sum of growth, of workers expected to leave the labor force, and of workers expected to move to another occupation. For marriage and family therapists the growth is 24.7% of the openings; exits and transfers are the rest.
| Occupation | 2024 | 2034 | Change | Growth | Exits | Transfers | Openings | Median wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marriage and family therapists 21-1013 | 37,500 | 49,000 | 11,500 | 30.7% | 19,190 | 15,880 | 46,570 | $69,184 |
| Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors 21-1018 | 76,500 | 96,500 | 20,000 | 26.1% | 28,440 | 37,930 | 86,370 | $60,909 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers 21-1023 | 19,900 | 23,900 | 4,000 | 20.1% | 10,360 | 8,260 | 22,620 | $81,211 |
| Healthcare social workers 21-1022 | 17,500 | 20,900 | 3,400 | 19.4% | 7,030 | 9,180 | 19,610 | $92,170 |
| Clinical and counseling psychologists 19-3033 | 12,500 | 15,500 | 3,000 | 24.0% | 3,740 | 3,060 | 9,800 | $119,247 |
| All occupations | 19,728,500 | 21,305,200 | 1,576,700 | 8.0% | 9,959,820 | 12,195,120 | 23,731,640 | $59,547 |
EDD, California statewide occupational projections 2024–2034, published July 2026. Openings are the ten-year sum of exits, transfers and numeric change; the median wage is EDD’s first-quarter 2026 estimate. Employment includes the self-employed; the median wage does not.
By area
Where the MFT openings are, county group by county group.
EDD’s area series runs 2023 to 2033 and rounds to the nearest ten, so the areas do not sum to the state and are not on the same base year. The wage column is the same first-quarter 2026 median EDD prints in each file, employees only. For what employed MFTs earn by metro from the BLS survey directly, with percentiles, see the wages page.
| Area | Counties | 2023 | 2033 | Change | Growth | Openings | Median wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale Metropolitan Division | Los Angeles | 10,310 | 12,420 | 2,110 | 20.5% | 10,780 | $66,339 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad Metropolitan Statistical Area | San Diego | 5,420 | 6,670 | 1,250 | 23.1% | 5,860 | $50,280 |
| Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine Metropolitan Division | Orange | 3,640 | 4,490 | 850 | 23.4% | 3,950 | $65,510 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario Metropolitan Statistical Area | Riverside, San Bernardino | 2,490 | 3,040 | 550 | 22.1% | 2,660 | $62,432 |
| Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley Metropolitan Division | Alameda, Contra Costa | 1,940 | 2,430 | 490 | 25.3% | 2,160 | $79,739 |
| San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City Metropolitan Division | San Francisco, San Mateo | 1,690 | 1,960 | 270 | 16.0% | 1,660 | $73,379 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom Metropolitan Statistical Area | El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, Yolo | 1,470 | 1,840 | 370 | 25.2% | 1,630 | $74,789 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara Metropolitan Statistical Area | San Benito, Santa Clara | 1,380 | 1,690 | 310 | 22.5% | 1,490 | $91,367 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura Metropolitan Statistical Area | Ventura | 1,160 | 1,420 | 260 | 22.4% | 1,240 | $50,619 |
| Fresno Metropolitan Statistical Area | Fresno, Madera | 780 | 950 | 170 | 21.8% | 830 | $67,886 |
| Bakersfield-Delano Metropolitan Statistical Area | Kern | 400 | 490 | 90 | 22.5% | 430 | $75,415 |
| Stockton-Lodi Metropolitan Statistical Area | San Joaquin | 430 | 500 | 70 | 16.3% | 420 | $61,867 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma Metropolitan Statistical Area | Sonoma | 440 | 470 | 30 | 6.8% | 380 | $82,657 |
| Modesto Metropolitan Statistical Area | Stanislaus | 280 | 340 | 60 | 21.4% | 310 | $75,436 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara Metropolitan Statistical Area | Santa Barbara | 280 | 330 | 50 | 17.9% | 290 | $74,111 |
| San Rafael Metropolitan Division | Marin | 250 | 280 | 30 | 12.0% | 230 | $76,490 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles Metropolitan Statistical Area | San Luis Obispo | 210 | 240 | 30 | 14.3% | 210 | $73,371 |
| North Coast Region | Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino | 220 | 240 | 20 | 9.1% | 200 | $76,186 |
| Redding Metropolitan Statistical Area | Shasta | 180 | 210 | 30 | 16.7% | 180 | $72,282 |
| Visalia Metropolitan Statistical Area | Tulare | 170 | 210 | 40 | 23.5% | 180 | $59,350 |
| Chico Metropolitan Statistical Area | Butte | 170 | 190 | 20 | 11.8% | 160 | $71,902 |
| Napa Metropolitan Statistical Area | Napa | 140 | 170 | 30 | 21.4% | 160 | $68,287 |
| Salinas Metropolitan Statistical Area | Monterey | 150 | 170 | 20 | 13.3% | 150 | $65,976 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region | Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Plumas, Sierra, Siskiyou, Tehama, Trinity | 110 | 130 | 20 | 18.2% | 110 | $76,360 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville Metropolitan Statistical Area | Santa Cruz | 100 | 110 | 10 | 10.0% | 90 | $80,839 |
| Merced Metropolitan Statistical Area | Merced | 80 | 100 | 20 | 25.0% | 90 | $75,436 |
| El Centro Metropolitan Statistical Area | Imperial | 60 | 80 | 20 | 33.3% | 80 | $76,021 |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region | Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Inyo, Mariposa, Mono, Tuolumne | 40 | 50 | 10 | 25.0% | 50 | $78,466 |
| Yuba City Metropolitan Statistical Area | Sutter, Yuba | 50 | 50 | 0 | 0.0% | 40 | $68,513 |
| Hanford-Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area | Kings | 30 | 40 | 10 | 33.3% | 30 | $73,156 |
Marriage and family therapists (21-1013), EDD area projections 2023–2033, sorted by ten-year openings. Vallejo Metropolitan Statistical Area: no MFT row in EDD’s file (occupations below the publication threshold are omitted). Area figures are rounded by EDD to the nearest ten and are a different projection period from the statewide table.
The neighboring occupations, by area
| Area | Counselors | openings | MH social workers | openings | Healthcare SW | openings | Psychologists | openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale Metropolitan Division | 18,410 | 20,320 | 7,080 | 6,570 | 6,190 | 6,250 | 2,990 | 1,970 |
| Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine Metropolitan Division | 6,510 | 7,220 | 1,470 | 1,500 | 1,710 | 1,770 | 820 | 580 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad Metropolitan Statistical Area | 5,480 | 6,110 | 890 | 860 | 1,510 | 1,580 | 1,570 | 1,120 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario Metropolitan Statistical Area | 5,480 | 5,800 | 1,490 | 1,450 | 1,560 | 1,650 | 760 | 540 |
| Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley Metropolitan Division | 4,310 | 5,040 | 1,020 | 1,030 | 1,480 | 1,590 | 1,280 | 990 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom Metropolitan Statistical Area | 3,840 | 4,570 | 1,270 | 1,280 | 1,030 | 1,130 | 660 | 490 |
| San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City Metropolitan Division | 3,770 | 4,080 | 560 | 520 | 1,060 | 1,010 | 800 | 500 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara Metropolitan Statistical Area | 2,710 | 3,130 | 900 | 860 | 750 | 830 | 570 | 440 |
| Fresno Metropolitan Statistical Area | 2,060 | 2,250 | 580 | 520 | 610 | 610 | 310 | 200 |
| Bakersfield-Delano Metropolitan Statistical Area | 1,780 | 1,890 | 260 | 240 | 300 | 310 | 230 | 170 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura Metropolitan Statistical Area | 1,150 | 1,210 | 220 | 220 | 360 | 360 | 250 | 170 |
| Stockton-Lodi Metropolitan Statistical Area | 1,110 | 1,170 | 150 | 140 | 200 | 200 | 100 | 60 |
| Modesto Metropolitan Statistical Area | 850 | 940 | 160 | 190 | 220 | 260 | 90 | 80 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara Metropolitan Statistical Area | 870 | 920 | 170 | 160 | 190 | 200 | 220 | 160 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma Metropolitan Statistical Area | 760 | 740 | 160 | 130 | 190 | 170 | 210 | 120 |
| Vallejo Metropolitan Statistical Area | 610 | 680 | 110 | 90 | 170 | 180 | 170 | 130 |
| Visalia Metropolitan Statistical Area | 600 | 650 | 140 | 130 | 170 | 170 | 60 | 40 |
| Salinas Metropolitan Statistical Area | 670 | 640 | 110 | 100 | 120 | 130 | 80 | 50 |
| San Rafael Metropolitan Division | 620 | 620 | 90 | 80 | 170 | 170 | 210 | 130 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles Metropolitan Statistical Area | 580 | 560 | 130 | 120 | 180 | 200 | 110 | 70 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region | 580 | 560 | 50 | 50 | 80 | 80 | 40 | 20 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville Metropolitan Statistical Area | 500 | 520 | 60 | 50 | 110 | 110 | 110 | 80 |
| North Coast Region | 540 | 510 | 100 | 80 | 110 | 110 | — | — |
| Chico Metropolitan Statistical Area | 400 | 380 | 40 | 40 | 90 | 70 | 30 | 20 |
| Redding Metropolitan Statistical Area | 350 | 370 | 90 | 70 | 70 | 50 | 40 | 30 |
| Merced Metropolitan Statistical Area | 320 | 320 | 40 | 40 | 50 | 60 | — | — |
| Yuba City Metropolitan Statistical Area | 280 | 290 | 30 | 30 | 40 | 30 | — | — |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region | 210 | 220 | 50 | 40 | 60 | 60 | 40 | 20 |
| Napa Metropolitan Statistical Area | 200 | 210 | 230 | 240 | 180 | 160 | 30 | 20 |
| El Centro Metropolitan Statistical Area | 170 | 200 | 40 | 50 | 30 | 40 | 30 | 30 |
| Hanford-Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area | 200 | 200 | 80 | 70 | 30 | 40 | 40 | 30 |
The four neighboring occupations by area: 2023 employment and ten-year openings to 2033, sorted by counselor openings. Counselors are the 21-1018 group, which holds LPCC-type work alongside substance-use counseling.
How to read it
Five of EDD’s own notes, because the columns are easy to misread.
“Total job openings is the sum of exits, transfers, and numeric change.” A large openings figure with small growth means a field people leave and enter, not a field that is expanding; the MFT statewide row is 11,500 growth against 19,190 exits and 15,880 transfers.
“Exits are the projected number of workers leaving an occupation and exiting the labor force entirely”; “transfers are the projected number of workers leaving an occupation and transferring to a different occupation.” Retirements are exits; an MFT who becomes a program director is a transfer.
“Occupational employment projections include self-employed, private household workers, farm, and nonfarm employment”, so a private-practice MFT is counted in the job figures. The wage column is different: “wages do not include self-employed or unpaid family workers” ([10]). Occupations with fewer than 1,000 jobs in the base year are excluded from the statewide file.
“Median wages are the estimated 50th percentile of the distribution of 2026 first quarter wages.” It is EDD’s own estimate and differs from the BLS May 2025 medians on the wages page by period and method; the two are not interchangeable.
The statewide table is 2024–2034; the area tables are 2023–2033, rounded to the nearest ten, and EDD notes that “projections for previous periods are not always comparable to the latest projections.” Compare areas with areas and the state with itself.
Then what
The pages that turn a projection into a decision.
What the jobs pay
Therapist wages by California metro
BLS OEWS May 2025: medians and percentiles for employed MFTs, counselors, social workers and psychologists.
Which license
The license paths compared
LMFT, LCSW, LPCC and the psychologist route: degree, hours, exams and scope, side by side.
The public employers
County job portals
Where the county behavioral-health postings live, and what the state’s file says they pay.
The first job
Getting hired as a California associate
What the postings ask for and what the offer should say.
Where every figure came from
Sources.
The projections
Carried from pages on this site
Every figure was read from EDD’s workbooks on 5 September 2026 and is checked against EDD’s own identities (base plus change equals the projection; exits plus transfers plus change equals openings) before this page is written; a cell that fails either stops the build. Projections are the state’s model, not a forecast of any hiring decision, and EDD replaces them with each release.
